


Rest And Vine

by Jacie



Category: NCIS
Genre: Alternate Reality, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Bed & Breakfast, Alternate Universe - Chefs, Alternate Universe - Restaurant, Chefs, First Kiss, First Meetings, First Time, M/M, Restaurants, Reverse Big Bang Challenge, Romance, Slash, Wine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-16
Updated: 2015-05-16
Packaged: 2018-03-30 20:33:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 20,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3950794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jacie/pseuds/Jacie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After losing his last job, Marine veteran Leroy Jethro Gibbs finds himself homeless once again. Facing few options, he decides to accept an offer from his ex-wife Diane, to work at her Bed & Breakfast repairing the old buildings. When he arrives he notices a help wanted sign looking for a chef and inquires about that opening as well. As he settles into his new situation, a handsome young man arrives in a vintage red Mustang and changes Gibbs' outlook on life.</p><div class="center">
  <p> </p>
  <p>    <img/><br/></p>
</div>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to Ibrahil for the beautiful artwork!
> 
> Many thanks to Naemi and Rose Malmaison for much appreciated beta work, encouragement and hand holding. I've added another three thousand words since either has seen this. Any remaining mistakes are mine alone.
> 
>   
> 
> 
> This story was written as part of the 2015 NCIS Reverse Bang Challenge hosted by the NCIS Bang community at Live Journal. 

With a few days’ worth of sprouting facial hair, Gibbs trudged down the dusty road occasionally kicking at the pebbles in his path. Although he’d walked only a few hours, he already felt in need of a shower. As the sun rose, he took off his baseball cap long enough to remove his USMC hoodie, roll it up and shove it into his backpack. He’d hoped it would help him get rides, but it was getting too hot to wear it. After wiping his brow, he replaced his cap and continued on his way.

He’d just lost another job in the city and had had enough. He felt like another statistic. No one cared that he’d served his country, given all he had. All he was now was a number; another homeless vet.

Things had been tough since he’d lost Shannon and Kelly. Attempts to move beyond the tragedy of losing his wife and daughter never seemed to work out. His second marriage had ended badly; she’d kept the house. There was a long list of jobs that didn’t end well and abandoned rental rooms left in his wake. Nothing seemed right in his life after he’d lost his girls. 

He was still wallowing in grief when he’d met his second wife, Diane. There was something about her that had caught his eye. Even remarried, he struggled to get through each day. Their marriage hadn’t gone well and was punctuated by his drinking and misery. He wasn’t surprised when she divorced him. What astonished him more was that she’d ever agreed to marry him in the first place. Diane had quickly figured out he was trying to recreate the life he’d once had with Shannon and Kelly. And by then, it was too late to salvage the relationship. She was done with him. He couldn’t blame her. How she lasted as long as she did was a wonder. 

Then came the embarrassing day when he was out on the street, looking every bit the unbathed homeless vet seeking work that he had become. Diane walked up to him, accompanied by her new husband, FBI agent Tobias Fornell. Gibbs shook his head. Diane was better off in her new marriage, but he hated to be reminded of his failures. He didn’t want her pity. 

She’d tried to give him money that day, which he refused to take. They even invited him to join them for dinner, which he also declined. Although he grudgingly accepted the bag of leftovers they offered on the way back to their car. When he opened the boxes, he found it wasn’t leftovers at all, but a full T-bone steak dinner with a salad, vegetables and a baked potato. It was the best meal he’d had in months, which made him glad he had accepted their kind offer.

She had also told him of an old run down B&B they had purchased out in the country. They offered him a job fixing it up. Work he was too proud to take from his ex-wife. Diane had scribbled the address and phone number onto a scrap of paper, just in case he changed his mind. He never knew why he bothered to keep the scrap of paper with an address on it. There was a time he scoffed at the thought of ever going there.

Things changed a few months later. After taking some cooking classes offered free to veterans, he’d found a job at a restaurant. For a while he was able to afford a basic room for rent. It was all he needed. Then he lost his job and found himself out of money and unable to continue paying his bills. It was his drinking that had gotten him fired in the end, too many late nights alone with a bottle of bourbon.

Realizing he couldn’t deal with living on the streets again, he pulled out the crumpled note Diane had given him. The ink was fading and the paper had been folded and unfolded dozens of times that he had considered the offer. Finally he made his decision to go find the B&B and see if he could work in trade for a place to stay and food. He’d always thought of himself as a simple man with simple needs and convinced himself this could work.

It didn’t bother him to hitchhike, even though Diane had said he could call and she’d buy him a bus ticket, or worse, Fornell could pick him up. He laughed at the thought. He had the skills to protect himself, carrying both a knife and a gun, just in case of trouble. It was nice to walk down the road on pleasant days. Occasionally he would pass by pastures with horses or cows, although there were mostly fields of crops. 

Smiling to himself, he wondered what Diane would think when he showed up unannounced on their doorstep. Would they even still be there? Maybe they’d failed to run the B&B successfully and closed it down. Not likely. Diane was a fighter. It wasn’t like her to give up too easily. She’d even tried to make their marriage work for a while before giving up and moving on.

The town itself was quiet, unlike the noisiness of non-stop traffic in DC. Gibbs took a deep breath and continued on foot. It reminded him a little of Stillwater, but wasn’t quite the same. This town was quite a bit larger, but still qualified for small town status in Gibbs’ book.

Stopping in the town square, he dropped his backpack to the ground, sat on a bench and looked around. It was a beautiful day to sit and observe people. The town may be off the beaten path, but had a handful of restaurants, diners and shops. There were a lot of shops. Many were small artist boutiques. Other signs he saw denoted a couple of banks, auto repair garages, a small library, city hall, a doctor, a barber, a couple lawyers, an accountant, an insurance office, a police station and firehouse.

“New in town or passing through?” a voice asked.

Gibbs looked up slowly at the dapper older, bespectacled gentleman wearing a suit and bow tie. “Visiting a friend.”

“Do you mind if I share your bench?”

Gibbs nodded and waved at the open end. “All yours.”

“I know most of the people around town. All of them, actually. Who are you visiting, if I may ask?”

“Diane Fornell.”

“Yes, the Fornells. Their place is a few miles out of town.”

Gibbs pulled out the folded scrap of paper. “She gave me this last time I saw her. I figured their place was down that road,” he said, waving vaguely to the west.

“It is indeed. If you don’t have a car, I would be happy to give you a lift.”

“Must be a slow day at your office,” mused Gibbs, figuring anyone wearing a suit and tie must, indeed, work in an office setting.

“They usually are. I retired from a busy medical practice in DC, but found myself bored. They lacked a doctor’s office here in town, so it seemed like a perfect fit. I share my practice with a young man, Jimmy Palmer, who will one day take it over. His wife’s family operates the funeral home in town and she wanted to raise a family here. Jimmy is a fine young lad. He runs the veterinary clinic, too. Small town.”

Gibbs laughed. “So he works on cows on Monday and people on Tuesday?”

“If they are both in need of care, yes. Come along. That’s my car over there.”

“A Morgan?”

“Indeed. Most people in town don’t recognize it.”

“I appreciate old cars.”

“My name is Doctor Donald Mallard, but please, call me Ducky.”

“Gibbs.”

“Are you lacking a first name?”

“It’s Leroy, but I prefer Gibbs.” 

“Very well, then. Gibbs it is.”

It wasn’t a long drive, but Gibbs enjoyed the friendly doctor’s company and seemingly unending catalog of stories.

“Here it is.”

“Rest and Vine Inn,” Gibbs read the hand painted sign aloud.

“Yes. It is a winery, a B&B and has a restaurant on the premises as well.”

It was a larger spread than Gibbs had imagined. “It’s a wonder they do enough business to keep a place like this going.”

“It’s not a bad drive from the city for a weekend getaway. I understand that wineries are the in thing these days. Some people take a country drive from the city just for dinner.”

“Really?”

“Absolutely. Then they usually end up making reservations at the B&B for another weekend.”

“Nice.”

Diane stepped out onto the large porch, shaded her eyes and called out, “Leroy Jethro Gibbs, is that you?”

Gibbs smiled at Ducky. “Thanks for the ride, Doc.”

“My pleasure. I hope you find what you’re looking for.”

“I was looking for Diane’s place and this appears to be it.”

“If you say so. But your eyes tell a different story.”

“Yeah? What do they say?”

“Perhaps you should look in a mirror.”

Gibbs watched as Ducky drove off, then turned to face Diane. “I remembered you said you needed some help.” His eyes wandered over the old buildings. “The place could use some sprucing up.”

“I know you like working with wood and there is no shortage of work to be done around here.”

Gibbs stepped onto the porch and tested the railing with his hand. “Needs a little work and a lot of fresh paint.”

“We hired a college kid, who runs the restaurant and I have a couple that runs the B&B, but they aren’t as handy with some things as one would like.”

Looking over to the other building, Gibbs noticed the help wanted sign. “You’re looking for a chef?”

“Yes. The last one quit a couple days ago and it’s a little much for Chucky to handle by himself.”

“I love to cook. Maybe I can do more than patch up the buildings.”

“We serve more than fire-grilled steaks here, Leroy.”

“Really, Diane, I took cooking classes.”

“ _You_ took cooking classes?”

“Yeah. It was free for vets. It seemed interesting and being homeless, taking the cooking courses were a great way to get some decent food. I even have experience working in a restaurant. I know how to cook, Diane. I’m good at it.”

“Fine. I’ll give you a chance. There’s an apartment above the restaurant. Tell Macaulay Culkin I hired you on as the new chef. And take a shower. Shave. It looks like you’ve spent two months walking here.”

“Not quite. And I thought you said his name was Chucky.”

“It’s actually Tim, but he never strikes me as a Tim. You’ll see. It doesn’t matter. He seems to answer to just about anything. Tell him he can run the books, but you’re running the kitchen from now on. Oh, he’s also your prep cook. Everyone does double duty around here.”

After adjusting his pack and his baseball cap, Gibbs nodded to Diane and walked across the yard to the restaurant. 

A dark haired woman met him as he entered the door. He watched as she grabbed a menu.

“Hi, I’m Abby. Just one for lunch or were you looking for the tasting room?”

“Actually, I’m here to see Chucky. Tim. Diane just hired me on as the new chef.”

“Oh good. Chucky Tim could use the help. Come along.”

Gibbs watched her pigtails bounce as she led the way across the restaurant, into the kitchen. “Timmy, Diane hired a new chef.”

Looking up from his cutting board, Tim offered, “Tim McGee.”

“Gibbs. Diane said there was a place above the restaurant where I can stay. It would be nice to stow my gear somewhere.”

“Oh, sure,” said Tim, wiping off his hands. “Right this way.”

Gibbs followed Tim upstairs. “She said you were a college kid.”

“Graduated. I just. I like someone around here.”

“Oh.”

“I used to just work here in the summers. It’s nice. But after I graduated, I missed her, Abby, so much. I had to come back full time. There are two apartments. That’s mine to the right, you can have this one.”

“Is there a key?” Gibbs asked.

Tim stepped over to the door and opened it. “Probably somewhere. But we don’t bother locking things up here. There’s pretty much always someone in the restaurant or the wine tasting room and you have to go through the kitchen to the back staircase to get up here. The lower level doors are all locked up at night and there’s an alarm system, but there aren’t any monitors upstairs. You just have to remember to turn off the alarm when you go downstairs in the morning. I’ll show you later.”

“Okay.” 

Gibbs entered the room, dropped his things onto the bed and looked around. It was large, with a sofa, a couple chairs, lamps, a small table, a bed, a desk, three dressers and a walk-in closet. Gibbs checked woodwork near the center of the room that ran from top to bottom of both walls and across the ceiling as well. The protrusion was at least a foot of wall, then covered with a dark wood trim.

“Used to be two rooms,” Gibbs observed.

“Yes, it was,” Tim agreed. “The restaurant was converted from a house. It used to be four bedrooms, but is now two apartments. The wine tasting room and shop are add-ons. The house was built with large rooms downstairs, including a parlor, library or reading room, living room and dining room. That’s all now one large dining room. You may have noticed they kept the original fireplaces. There was a large kitchen and pantry. That’s now our kitchen and office. The walk-in freezer and refrigerator were added later.”

“She said there was a shower.”

“We’ll share,” said Tim. 

Gibbs smirked. “Water shortage?”

“No,” Tim replied slowly, cocking his head in confusion.

“I asked about a shower and you said we’d share.”

A blush ebbed across Tim’s face. “Sorry, that’s not what I meant. There’s only one bathroom up here. We will both be using it. At different times.”

“Okay,” Gibbs chuckled, amused by Tim’s discomfort. He liked to study people and discover what made them tick.

“That’s it at the end of the hallway. Since it’s just the two of us using it, you can leave your stuff in there if you want. It has a great old claw foot soaking tub, but they added the curtains and a shower over it. You have to be a little careful so you don’t get too much water outside the tub.”

“I’d hate to see the floor rot and the tub fall through.”

“Exactly. The floor is tiled, but it’s old. We keep an eye on the ceiling below it. Sometimes we get water spots.”

“I’ll take a look. Probably just needs a little grout or caulk.”

Tim nodded. “There are linens in the bedroom closet and towels in the bathroom closest. The restaurant has a washer and dryer downstairs we can use.”

“Good to know.”

“Why don’t you put your things away, take a shower and come downstairs when you’re ready?”

“This place open seven days a week?”

“No. We don’t have enough business to do that. It’s normally dinner Thursday through Sunday and lunch on the weekends during the winter and most days in the summer if the inn is full. We’ll usually make food for the guests any day with a little notice. We’re here anyway and it doesn’t take long to take care of a couple guests.”

“I see. I’ll clean up and come down in a bit.”

“Good.”

Gibbs returned to the bed began removing and sorting his belongings. He didn’t have much anymore. Living on the streets taught him to not keep more than he wanted to lug around with him. His most treasured possession was a photo of Shannon and Kelly. He was sitting on the bed, staring at the faded print when Diane burst into the room with an armful of clothing.

“Your stuff. You asked me to store some of it for you until you got settled. Remember?”

“Yeah. Didn’t think you would. Not for this long.”

“We have plenty of room out here. More than our place in the city.”

“You still keep your other house?”

“Tobias still works in DC and Emily prefers to go to school there with her friends.”

“I don’t suppose you still have all my tools?”

“I can’t keep all your old junk, Leroy.”

“They’d come in handy fixing this place up.”

“Well, I think they’re still around here somewhere. Check with Chucky. He probably knows where they are even if he never could figure out how to use them.”

“Thanks, Diane.”

“Do not disappoint me, Leroy.”

“I will try not to.”

The shower had plenty of hot water and pressure. Gibbs spent longer than he normally did, but he hadn’t known such luxury in a long time. After his shower, he shaved and made a mental note to see the barber in town. 

Once he was dressed, he returned downstairs to find Tim. “Diane said you might know where my old woodworking tools were. The B&B and restaurant could both use some minor repairs and paint.”

“Sure, I’ll show you. I guess you haven’t seen the whole place yet.”

“Not really. I met Diane out front and I’ve been here.”

“The B&B is an old converted farm house from the 1800s. It’s been added onto and updated. The restaurant is from the early 1900s. It was built as a home by a relative of the original property’s owners. One of their kids, I think. It was turned into a B&B and a restaurant back in the ‘60s. They added a few cottages in the ‘70s. The Fornells built the newer house a couple years ago. They live there. Diane is out here most of the time. She does a little work with the accountant in town, especially during tax season. Their daughter Emily is here if she’s not in school. Tobias is here on the weekends and sometimes during the week if he’s not on a case.”

Gibbs glanced around as Tim pointed to the various buildings. The Fornells’ newer home was a short walk from the B&B, but still within sight. Plenty of tall trees and other greenery separated the main house and the inn. 

“They didn’t want it too close to the older buildings, but near enough to keep an eye on things.”

Gibbs nodded. It made sense to put the more modern building away from the older ones. It left the picturesque scenery.

“We stay surprisingly busy year round, especially on the weekends. Although we see more weekday guests during the summer, the B&B rooms are nice and toasty and all the cottages have fireplaces and baseboard heaters for the winter. There are window unit ACs and ceiling fans for the summer. It’s comfortable here any time of the year.”

“What about the winery?”

“It was established in the 1800s as well, but when prohibition went into effect, they abandoned the vineyards and concentrated more on crops. When they turned it into a B&B in the ‘60s, they started replanting the vineyards. Across the road used to be part of this farm as well. Abby owns it now and uses it as an animal sanctuary.”

“But she works here, too?”

“As she says, it costs a lot of money to feed all the animals. She runs trail rides over there during the day in nice weather and waits tables here at night.”

“I see the horses. Does she have any beef cattle?”

Tim laughed. “No, she’s a vegetarian. Don’t even let her think you’re interested in eating any of her babies. She does have hens for eggs that we use, and a couple dairy cows. She also has a lot of cats, dogs, the horses, a few goats and a couple pigs. Kids love to hang out over there and see the animals. She will let them as long as they’re willing to help out.”

“Sounds like a lot of work.”

“It is. Jimmy Palmer, he’s the vet in town, helps try to adopt out animals for her. He only charges her for medicine, not for his time. She’ll sometimes take in animals whose owners can’t or won’t pay for treatment. When they’re healed up, she’ll adopt them out.”

“As long as they don’t show up on someone’s dinner table.”

“Very true. It’s in the adoption agreement that if someone is not caring for the animals, Abby can take them back. If she hears they wound up as dinner, she would go ballistic.”

“Diane asked me to fix up the buildings and porches. She said you would know where the tools were.”

“Around back here. The old barn is sort of a storage area and workshop. They have a sweet old car in there.”

“Yellow and black ‘71 Dodge Challenger R/T Hemi?”

“Diane must have told you about it.”

“No. She told me she sold it for junk years ago.”

“She said it had been in storage for a few years before they bought this place. Mr. Fornell likes driving it, but she said it wasn’t his. She always said it belonged to an old friend.”

Gibbs smiled as he pulled off the car cover. “Damn. She restored it. I always wanted to, but never had the time or money.”

“It’s yours? I mean, you’re the old friend?”

“You could say that.”

“Did you go to school together?”

“Nope.” 

Clearing his throat, Tim decided to move on. “Jake and Ellie are the couple that lives out here and run the B&B. Jake also works in town as a mechanic, so he keeps the car running and helped restore it.”

“It does look good. How many rooms in the B&B?”

“Six upstairs in the main building, and three more in the addition around back. Jake and Ellie live on the main floor. We have a dozen cottages for rent, too. All of the cottages and the largest suite at the B&B all have private kitchenettes and bathrooms. We call that the honeymoon suite. It is part of the add-on and has two more rooms with a shared bathroom above it. They included a private bath and a washer and dryer for the suite.”

“For the honeymooners who don’t want to leave the room?”

“Exactly. It has a huge jetted garden tub, too. It’s nice.”

Moving over to the workbench, Gibbs ran his hand along the neatly arranged tools. They were all there: his planer, sander, all the chisels and measuring instruments, everything. “I can’t believe she kept it all.”

“You’ve known Diane for a while?” Tim tried again. “Are you related?”

“I’m her ex-husband.”

“Does Mr. Fornell know?”

“I’m sure he does. He was there when she offered me a job.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, Tim. There’s nothing going on between us. I needed a job and she needed someone to fix up these old buildings.”

“Okay. It’s nice how things work out like that sometimes. We also have a garden behind the restaurant. We try to use fresh ingredients when we can.”

“Who tends the garden?”

“Chef Thomas did until he left. I’ve been taking care of it since then. The others help when they can. I set up a watering system. So all we have to do is add a few nutrients when necessary, pull a few weeds, pick what we need and plant in the spring. We can grow some things in the greenhouse. Ellie grows a few flowers in there, too. She likes setting them out in the B&B. In the winter we buy some produce, but we aren’t quite as busy then. It’s mostly just weekends in the winter.”

“Can I see a menu?”

“We print them off as needed. We have plastic covers that hold two pages, front and back. You can change whatever you want. Just let me know and we’ll print them out and slide them into the covers. And there’s a chalkboard for specials.”

“So I can make and serve whatever I want to?”

“You are the chef. Just tell me what ingredients you use and how much, I’ll do a quick cost analysis and come up with a menu price. She likes if you have a few dishes that use wine as one of the ingredients and we always note a suggested wine for the meals.”

“I think I can manage to cook with wine.”

“Good. Well, that’s about it. Chef Thomas would create menus and give me prep lists.”

“Yeah, she said you were the prep cook.”

“I’m not so good with creating stuff, but if you tell me how to make something, I’m pretty good at following directions.”

“Why does she call you Chucky?”

“I don’t know. She said she doesn’t see me as a Tim.”

“She seems rather fond of you.”

Tim’s face began to redden slightly as his eyes grew large. “Did she tell you about that one time? I swear, nothing happened.”

Gibbs raised his eyebrows. “Nothing happened?”

“We simply fell asleep on the couch. We were talking and nodded off.”

Gibbs grinned. “Fornell walked in, didn’t he?”

“He wasn’t supposed to be here that night, but she wasn’t answering her cell phone. He got worried and decided to drive out. She was depressed because she didn’t think he spent enough time out here. We had a couple glasses of wine as we chatted. He came out and found us. On the couch. Together. Asleep. But nothing happened.”


	2. Chapter Two

Gibbs spent an hour organizing his tools before moving on to the garden and greenhouse. The garden was larger than he’d thought it would be, with a huge section of flowers and a larger one of vegetables.

As he pulled a few weeds and made a mental note of what herbs and vegetables were in the garden, Emily showed up.

“Mom said you were here,” she began.

“Yeah. Well, she invited me. They both did, your mom and dad.”

“I’m sure dad was thrilled.”

“We get along fine.”

Emily rolled her eyes behind Gibbs’ back as he continued working. “She still likes you.”

“What’s not to like?”

“Most exes don’t get along as well as the two if you. So, what’s up? Are you trying to get her back?”

The comment surprised Gibbs. “No. Why would she want me when she has a decent husband with a full time job?”

“Why do you think she kept all your junk?”

“She took my house in the divorce. It was the only thing of any real value that we had. She promised to keep my stuff until I bought another house. That just never happened.”

“Men. You’re all so clueless, aren’t you? She kept all your crap because she wanted to see you again.”

Gibbs paused for a minute and mulled over her words. “I promise you, I did not come out here to split up your folks. I didn’t have anywhere else to go.”

Emily studied his expression for a moment before answering. “Okay. I just thought we should clear the air.”

“No problem.”

“And what am I supposed to call you? Uncle Gibbs? I mean, you’re sort of related, right?”

“You can call me Gibbs. Or Chef Gibbs, if you prefer.”

After Emily left, he spent a few minutes inspecting the plants, before returning to the restaurant.

“Oh, hi,” said Abby, once again greeting him at the door. “You’re back. I guess that means you’re staying.”

“I was planning on it. Tim mentioned the Fornells liked the wines to be used for cooking. I was hoping to taste a few of them.”

“Right this way.”

Abby turned, leading Gibbs through the dining room to an addition that had a tasting bar and small shop. “You probably have all the wines in the kitchen, but you should talk to Kate. She’s the expert around here.”

Gibbs smiled at the pretty brunette as he took a seat at the bar.

Kate set a glass down in front of him and handed him a list of wines to sample. “Where would you like to start?”

“I’d like to get a taste of everything to see what may work for cooking. I don’t suppose you have bourbon?”

“No bourbon. They prefer to stick with the wines we produce on site.”

“That’s a shame.”

Gibbs spent a couple of hours with Kate in the tasting room, asking questions. A few other visitors came through while he was there. Most left with a bottle or two of wine and some took a case.

“Looks like they do enough business to stay open.”

“It’s not bad at all. Between the wine, restaurant and rentals, we do pretty well.”

“And the trail rides.”

Kate smiled. “That’s Abby.”

“Do they use all the produce from the garden?”

“We use most of it. If not, we take it to the grocery in town. They buy Abby’s eggs that we don’t use. We sell wholesale to them, whatever we don’t use, and they cut us a deal when we buy from them.”

“They sell your wine, too?”

“They sell a couple of the more popular ones and have fliers in the wine section to let customers know how to get here.”

They both turned when the door opened and Tobias walked in. After nodding to them, he sat next to Gibbs. Kate placed a wineglass in front of him.

“I was getting Chef Gibbs acquainted with our wines. What would you like today?” 

“The house red is fine. And Kate?”

“Yes?”

Fornell pointed between himself and Gibbs. “This is a private conversation that you will not be repeating to my wife.”

“Got it.”

Fornell sipped the wine that Kate had just poured, then turned to Gibbs. “Leroy, what are you doing out here?”

“The place needs work, Tobias. I need work. Seemed like a good fit.”

“I’m not sure it’s a good idea for you to be out here, with Diane.”

“We’re divorced. It didn’t work out between us. End of story.”

“It’s that easy?”

“Nothing in my life has been easy. I haven’t been able to keep a good job long in the city and each time it gets tougher to find a new one. I can make this work.”

“Just try making it work without spending too much time with Diane. Okay?”

When the door flung open, they both turned to see Diane storming in. “Oh there you are. Both of you. With all the work that needs to be done around here, I find the two of you sitting on your asses like a couple of bar buddies. Is that what you guys think you should be doing?”

Gibb answered first. “Kate was discussing the wines with me. I wanted to get a taste of what you served so I could think of meals that will complement the wines.”

Diane studied him for a moment. They both knew she was astute and figuring him out. She then turned her attention to Tobias. “And you, what’s your excuse?”

“I stopped by to say hello and welcome Gibbs to our place.”

“Oh yeah? Well, there is work to do out there and I have a list of chores with your name on it.”

“I do have a day job, you know,” he protested as he rose from his seat and went to the door.

Right before she left, Diane looked back. “And you have work to do, too, Chef Gibbs. Don’t let me find you in here drinking all the time.”

“Understood.”

After watching the Fornells leave, Kate turned to Gibbs. “I am a bartender. You can tell me all your problems if you’d like.”

Gibbs smiled. “Not much to tell. Sometimes life doesn’t go the way you planned.”

“And then you wind up where you are today.”

“Exactly. And for me, that turns out to be someone with very little left.”

“At least you travel light.”

Gibbs nodded as he finished his wine. “Ah, you’re one of those annoying perky types who always sees the silver lining everywhere they look.”

“Guilty as charged. This is a good place, Gibbs. A healing place. Who knows, even you may find what you’re looking for out here.”

He wasn’t sure about that. Some days he felt so broken he was certain his life was beyond salvaging. If a change was going to be made, this seemed like a good place to start over again.

When Gibbs returned to the kitchen, he found Tim scurrying around putting together meals for dining room customers. “I would have come in and helped you.”

“I’m good,” Tim assured him. “I only put things I knew how to make on the menu for now. I can change it whenever you’re ready. There’s an office over there you can use. We share it. The chef’s desk is the one by the window that looks out over the kitchen, and mine is in the back.”

“No window to the yard?”

“The office was converted from the pantry, so originally it had no windows. The walk-in freezer and cooler are behind it now, so we wouldn’t have much of a view.”

“Unless you want to keep an eye on the food.”

“There is a small television in the back of the office, if you ever want to watch something.”

“I’m not big on TV, or computers.”

“If you need any help with the computer, let me know. That’s what I majored in at college, computer sciences.”

Gibbs chuckled. “And here you are working at a B&B out in the country where people probably go to get away from computers.”

“Country living still has its perks.”

“And Abby.”

“Yes.”

Inside the office Gibbs found a stack of aprons, a stack of cloth towels and a chef’s hat. It looked new enough, so he tried it on. There were also a couple chef’s jackets hanging on hooks on the back of the door.

“Chef Thomas must have left town in a hurry,” he said aloud to himself.

Tim ducked inside the door. “Rumor is that he got the Miller’s oldest daughter, Gretchen, pregnant and they were going to make him get married.”

“Well, that would certainly do it.”

When Tim went back to preparing meals, Gibbs watched him through the large window at the front of the office that overlooked the kitchen. He could make this work. The people seemed nice and there was a lot more foot traffic than he had imagined.

A copy of the current menu was on the desk along with a three ring binder marked _Recipes_. Inside was an index and pages for everything on the current menu and much more. Looking around revealed another binder which contained previous menus. He spent several minutes perusing the different menus and recipes, then began thinking about things he would like to make.

Tim leaned in as the dining room filled up. “Excuse me, Sir. I could use some help now, if you’re not too busy.”

“Sure. And Tim, please call me Gibbs.”

“Yes, Sir. Chef. Gibbs.”

Gibbs smiled and brought the recipe binder into the kitchen with him. “Just Gibbs will do, Tim.”

“I have most of the recipes memorized,” Tim said. “And the others, I taped up here.” Waving his hand, he indicated the various recipes displayed against the tile wall. “It helps make sure I prepare everything correctly every time.”

“Consistency is the key,” Gibbs agreed.

It didn’t take long for Tim and Gibbs to fall into an easy routine, getting the meals out quickly. At six o’clock, a teenager named Rick came in.

“Rick, this is our new chef, Gibbs,” Tim offered. “Gibbs, this is Rick, our dishwasher and janitor. He cleans up and locks up.”

“Nice to meet you,” said Rick before setting up his station.

“You must work some long hours around here,” Gibbs said to Tim as he plated a steak.

“Sometimes. It’s not usually all that busy, except on the weekends. It’s not bad at all if we’re only serving dinner.”

“You did say it’s possible we’d have to work seven days a week if the people staying wanted meals cooked for them, right?”

“True. But if it’s only a couple people, one person can take care of them and it wouldn’t take long. We don’t need everyone here for that, just whoever is around. Ellie can cook. She likes to bake mostly. She prepares the breakfasts over at the B&B and bakes the fresh breads we use in the restaurant.”

“So she works seven days a week?”

“Not always. Diane and Emily help a lot. We all do whatever it takes to get everything done. We all know how to check people in or out and can clean rooms or make a basic breakfast. We don’t have guests all the time at the B&B. Sometimes we’re full on the weekends for the summer, but not always during the week or other seasons.”

“There’s no real schedule? Nothing that says who does what, when?”

“Well, we all have our duties. As chef, you’ll create the menus, tend the garden, make sure we have enough stock and need to be available Thursday through Sunday for meals, more in the summer months if we have a lot of guests. If you’re around other times when someone wants something, Ellie or Diane will ask if you can take care of them. If you’ve gone to town, they’ll ask me or do it themselves. That’s why Diane insists on the chef writing up all the recipes, so any of us can take care of it if we need to. She also allows guests to ask us to make anything. If we don’t have a recipe, I just look online and see if we have the ingredients.”

“Who does all the maintenance?”

“Jake does mechanical stuff. He can fix most of the machinery, like the dishwasher, washing machines and dryers. He also does basic plumbing and electrical stuff.”

“No one patches the roofs or paints?”

“Not really. Diane talks about hiring someone to paint all the time, but she never has. Not that I recall. We all do a lot of work, but when we’re not busy, we can do whatever we like.”

“And what do you like to do on your down time?”

“I play a lot of online games.”

“I never saw the point of that. I rather get out in the real world.”

“And play with the three dimensional people?”

“You could say that.”

“I like to spend time with Abby, too. I help her out sometimes. She does okay feeding all the animals a couple times a day, but it’s a lot of work to clean out all the stalls and pens, so I help when I can. She has a couple hay fields, too. We all try to give her a hand bringing in the bales and storing it.”

“She’s the one you came back for, right?”

Tim blushed deeply and stared down at the salad he was making. “Yeah. I really missed her when I was gone. Not that she missed me.”

“I’m sure she did.”

“There’s something really special about her.”

“She’s very pretty.”

“She is that. She’s really smart, too, and has a heart of gold.”

“I like that she takes care of all the animals.”

“She means the world to me. I just can’t imagine never seeing or talking to her again.”

Gibbs also met the other two servers and the other bartender, Ziva, as they came into the kitchen to pick up appetizers and meals. Tim explained how they all worked Friday night through Sunday night, but rotated the other shifts. The other servers stayed across the road with Abby and the two bartenders shared a cottage that wasn’t rented out. Gibbs was pretty sure it was a converted garage.

The next day, he met Leon and Jenny, who ran the winery with a couple of other employees. Leon ran processing and bottling side, while Jenny worked more on the advertising, sales and finance end.

“I had no idea this was such a large operation,” Gibbs said.

Tim nodded. “I’m sure they make money, but they do keep a lot of people employed. There are days we probably don’t take in enough to cover our expenses, but other days we do pretty well.”

“And the good outweighs the bad.”

“That’s about right. It’s nice here, pleasant. And when we have no guests, we all get a little down time. I guess the winery is more steady work. They keep processing, bottling and shipping the wine whether we have guests here or not.”

*** 

Gibbs quickly adapted to the routine and found that many of the people in town came out to the restaurant on a regular basis. Ducky visited the restaurant once or twice a week, sometimes accompanied by Jimmy and Breena. Many of the other guests were regulars as well, making the trip at least once a month for a meal and a bottle of wine.

“How often did Chef Thomas change the menu?” Gibbs asked.

Tim shrugged. “Once a month. And he would have specials on the board, often at a discount.”

“Stuff you had to use up before it went bad?”

“Yeah, sometimes. Chef Thomas also put things up there that he felt like making and often it was dishes he was thinking about adding to the menu, but wanted to see if they went over well. When business allowed, he did like to go out into the dining room and speak to the guests, ask them for feedback on the food.”

“Did he ever rotate dishes? Like if he took them off the menu, would he ever put them back on?”

“Sure. He liked to create seasonal menus, especially around the holidays. It also had a lot to do about what was doing well in the garden. Anything we had an abundance of, Chef Thomas would try to use it a lot. He never changes the kids menu. He thought most kids just like the basics and didn’t care for anything fancy.”

“Or wine infused.”

“Probably not.”

Gibbs scanned down the current menu. There weren’t many offerings for kids. “No chicken nuggets?”

Tim laughed, “He tried that once. But he made his own. A lot of kids complained or wouldn’t eat them because they weren’t like McDonalds.”

“Ouch.”

“Then Chef Thomas would grumble about how parents should leave their kids home or drop them off at McDonalds before coming out to the winery.”

“Is there a McDonalds nearby?”

“Not for miles.”

“Chef Thomas doesn’t sound very kid friendly.”

“Not really.”

“Gretchen is probably better off that he left. If the rumors are true.”

“And it left a job open for you.”

“Happenchance. Diane offered me a job fixing up the buildings. That’s why I was searching for my tools. I happened to see the help wanted sign advertising for a chef when I got here. That’s what I was doing at my last job, cooking.”

“Oh. So you’re going to get up and patch the roofs and stuff?”

“If they need it. I’ll give everything a good look over tomorrow. I’ll get it all patched up, then we can paint.”

“We?”

“Well, yeah, McGee. Everyone does a little bit of everything out here. Isn’t that what you said?”

“Yeah, but. I’ve never painted anything before.”

“Nothing to it. Just wear some old clothing you don’t mind getting paint on.”

“I’m not sure I have anything like that.”

“Buy something at a thrift store. Or you could always paint in the nude.”

“Naked?”

“You wouldn’t have to worry about getting paint on your clothing. You may have to worry about getting sunburned, though. You really need to stop playing on the computer and get outside more.”

“I’ve never been one to tan or anything. I just burn.”

“It’s because you don’t spend any time outside getting adjusted to it. You’re pasty, McGee. I will bet you’ve been playing online computer games since you were a little kid.”

“I guess so. I’ve never been very good at sports or anything.”

*** 

Over the next few weeks, Gibbs spent many hours making repairs to each of the buildings, then enlisted everyone’s help in painting. Jake and Ellie showed no fear in climbing the ladders to paint around the eaves, while Tim preferred to keep his feet firmly on the ground.

“Come on McGee, even if you do fall a few feet, you’re not going to get hurt,” Gibbs insisted.

“Ladders just aren’t my thing,” Tim replied.

“I’ll bet you have no problems climbing up castle walls in your video games.”

“That’s different.”

Jenny was so impressed with the sprucing up that she hired a professional photographer to come out and take new pictures so she could design new brochures.

“You’re really something, Gibbs,” she told him one day. “You’ve singlehandedly given this place the kick in the ass it needed.”

Gibbs shrugged as he continued painting. “It’s just a little paint, Jen.”

“True, but you’ve given the place a whole new vibe. You’ve married the past and the present together so beautifully. Just in time for our busiest season.”

“What season is that?”

“Spring and early summer. Graduations, weddings, lots of parties.”

“I hope those are college graduations.”

“Mostly. Although we do make a sparkling grape juice for the underage kiddies.”

“Fantastic.”

Once the buildings and grounds were spruced up Gibbs felt better, but he was still too busy to relax. He spent hours in the garden with Tim and Ellie, asking what things were as he thought about how to use everything in his recipes. 

Tim showed Gibbs how to use the computer in the chef’s office to organize his recipes and search for ideas. “Chef Thomas decided what to plant. But you can google online and see what other people make with this stuff. I think Chef Thomas searched for recipes and just tweaked them a bit.”

“Tweaked?”

“Sure. He’d change a couple ingredients and maybe added some wine. If you have questions on anything, you can google how to do it online. Although sometimes you’ll find differing opinions.”

“I prefer more of a hands-on approach.”

“The kitchen is all yours. And the staff is pretty good about taste testing for you and giving opinions.”

“I do get that vibe around here. I don’t imagine Kate and Ziva hold back much.”

Tim chuckled. “Not really. Abby might. She doesn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. But if she hesitates and chews her lower lip, it’s a sure sign she’s trying to find something nice to say.”

“It won’t hurt my feelings. That’s the fun of cooking. Some stuff works out great. Other stuff, not so much.”

“Or, as Chef Thomas would say, add a bit of wine and everyone is happy.”

“I will keep that in mind.”


	3. Chapter Three

The rural setting suited Gibbs just fine. The fresh air and sunshine felt good and helped settle his mind. He enjoyed walks on nice days and even ventured over to Abby’s when she offered to take him on a trail ride.

“You’ve ridden before,” she said confidently. “I can always tell.”

“I’ve done many things before.”

“There’s a first time for everything, Gibbs.”

Diane allowed Gibbs free rein most of the time, but occasionally made her opinion known when she was displeased. The Fornells often came to the restaurant to eat in the evenings. Usually she or Tobias would stop by the kitchen to compliment Gibbs and Tim on the dinner.

Tobias never smiled at Gibbs, but would mumble, “Nice job.”

“I’ll bet Diane made him come back here,” Gibbs said one day.

“He looks at you the way he looks at me since he caught me and Diane on the couch that day.”

“I care for her,” admitted Gibbs. “But things didn’t work between us. She and I both know why.”

“I guess Mr. Fornell just has a jealous streak.”

“He’ll get over it. He can’t catch something going on when there’s nothing happening.”

“Just make sure you don’t fall asleep on the couch with her.”

Gibbs laughed as he imagined it. “I have no intention of going to their house.”

“I bet you would if she asked you to paint it.”

“I’ll stay outside and far away from their couch.”

Gibbs was pleased to see his vegetable crops doing well. It helped him to search online for gardening tips. He came to appreciate Tim’s watering system, which consisted of several tubes and hoses hooked together with a timer. It was set to turn the water on and off at certain times. Each plant had a small tube delivering water from the main hose. Tim showed Gibbs how to adjust the timing, but they left it alone when the plants were thriving.

Gibbs found himself smiling more often as the days and weeks past. For the first time in a long while, he was doing work he enjoyed and was comfortable enough to relax in his surroundings. Repairing the buildings, gardening and creating meals all gave him the satisfaction of working with his hands.

*** 

It was late June when Gibbs heard a Mustang pulling into the parking lot. He put down his tools to go check out the car. It was an older model; a flashy, red convertible. A handsome young man stood beside it, staring at the B&B through his mirrored sunglasses.

“That’s a ’66, right?” Gibbs asked.

“Yeah.” The young man confirmed. “Good eye.”

Gibbs subconsciously reached down to adjust himself. His cock had taken notice of the newcomer in a way he wasn’t used to. He hoped the stranger would just think it was the car giving him a hard on. Although, that would be odd, too.

Moving closer, Gibbs walked around the car, checking it from every angle. “You have to love the V-8 engines.”

“Absolutely. New cars just don’t have the power of the older ones.”

“Very true. If you don’t mind a ‘71, I have a Dodge Challenger R/T Hemi out back. I’d be happy to show it to you, if you’d like.”

“Sweet! I’d love to take a look.” Pointing at the B&B sign, he asked, “Do you guys have a room open? I need somewhere to crash and this looks like a nice place. The restaurant on the premises is a huge plus for me.”

“I’ll walk you in. I’m not sure what rooms are available.” As Gibbs let the way, he quickly added, “But I’m sure we have something.”

“Great! I’m Tony, by the way.”

“Gibbs. I’m the chef over at the restaurant,” he replied, offering his hand as he nodded to the other building. “Just passing through?”

“Yeah. I traveled around Europe for a few years before attending college. Now that I’ve graduated, I thought it was time I saw more of the US.”

“Where are you headed?”

“Nowhere special. I picked up my diploma, packed up the car and took off. No plans, just driving wherever the road takes me.”

“Independently wealthy?”

“I have a bit in savings. My dad’s the one with the money. I have enough to get me by for a few months until I find a job and a place to settle down.”

“Must be nice.”

Tony flashed a grin. “It sure is.”

A bell attached to the door announced their presence when they walked into the B&B. Ellie looked up, a little startled. It was the first time Gibbs had escorted a customer inside.

“Hi Ellie.”

“Hello, Gibbs. What brings you inside today?”

“This is Tony. He’s looking for a room. Do we have anything open?”

“Yes, we do. I have two rooms available or a few cottages. Are you by yourself?”

“So far,” replied Tony. 

“The cottages are set up for four to six people and cost quite a bit more. If you’re by yourself, you may prefer a room. They include breakfast, too. It would be extra with the cottages. Come on over and I’ll show you what we have.”

Gibbs remained and walked to the counter with Tony. He’d been so wrapped up in repairs, gardening and cooking that he hadn’t made any effort to learn about the B&B part of the business.

Ellie opened up a binder with photos of each room and cottage. “I’d be happy to show you anything we have available in person, but most people get enough of an idea from the photos. Rooms two and four are available. This is the price list, daily or weekly.”

Tony glanced through the photos briefly. “Do either of the available rooms face the road?”

“This one does. Those usually are less popular. The other room faces over the gardens.”

Gibbs smiled. “I’d never even suspected people were watching me work,” he teased.

“The more popular rooms and the cottages have views of the winery and vineyards. Some people like the gardens. Different strokes.”

“Chef and gardener?” Tony asked as he looked at Gibbs. 

“Small place. We all do double duty around here,” Gibbs replied. “I use a lot of fresh produce in the meals. We use fresh eggs and milk from across the road.”

“Wow. I’m not sure my gut can handle that much real food. I’ve gotten used to chicken wings, pizza and beer.”

“We use meat from local farmers, too.”

“Fresher is better,” Tony acknowledged.

“Probably,” agreed Gibbs.

Turning back to Ellie, Tony said, “I think I’ll take the room overlooking the garden.”

“Sure. I will need your full name and information. Once you fill out the registration card, I’ll get everything entered into the computer.”

“Tony DiNozzo, Jr,” he said aloud as he filled out the card.

Ellie printed out two copies of the rental agreement, placing them in front of Tony to be signed. “How long will you be staying?”

“A few days, maybe. I haven’t really decided.”

“We take cash or credit card. You can pay in advance as far as you like, or by the day. There’s a discount for longer stays over in this column.”

Pulling a credit card from his wallet, Tony placed it on the counter in front of her. “Go ahead and charge me for a week. I could use some down time in a place like this.”

“If you’re looking for things to do, there is a rack of brochures over there and also some photo albums on that coffee table with recommendations from previous guests. We have some great shops in town and wonderful hiking trails not too far from here. If you just want to relax, we have lounge chairs overlooking the vineyards and gardens. Feel free to move them around as you like. Some people prefer the shade while others like the sun.”

“I do drive a convertible.”

Ellie nodded and smiled. “Sun lover. Here is the key to your room. It’s up the staircase, room number two. Breakfast is served between seven and nine, but if you’re a little late, there’s usually still plenty to eat. If you want something earlier, just let me know the night before. The dining area is right over there.”

“Not in the restaurant?”

“No, that’s separate,” Ellie explained. “It’s part of the same place, but the breakfast is served here for the B&B. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinners Fridays through Sundays.”

“But if you’re hungry other times, just let anyone know,” Gibbs added. “There’s enough of us around that someone can always put a meal together for you.”

Grabbing his room key, Tony moved close to Gibbs, until their chests were nearly touching. “I was looking forward to you cooking something special for me.”

“Tell me what you like and I will see what I can do.”

Tony winked and left to grab his suitcases from his car.

Ellie’s mouth dropped open. “Oh my gosh, he was flirting with you!”

“What?” Gibbs was suddenly aware of being aroused again.

“Come on, Gibbs. He’s looking forward to you cooking something special for him? I wonder what he has in mind? And please, I could barely squeeze the receipt between your chests as close as he was to you. That was flirting.”

Gibbs smiled and waved her off. He held the door open for Tony to bring in his luggage.

“I’ll see you later.”

“You can count on that,” Tony promised, turning to watch Gibbs walk away.

Gibbs returned to his gardening unable to keep the smile from his face. A few minutes later, he heard a window opening over at the B&B. Glancing up, he saw Tony looking back at him.

“What the hell?” he muttered to himself as he pulled weeds.

Moments later, Tim poked his head out the screened back door. “Did you say something, Chef Gibbs?”

“Just Gibbs will do. And no. I was talking to myself.”

“Okay. Good. I’ll go back to work then. The cucumbers are looking great. Maybe we could put a cucumber salad on the menu?”

“Thanks, Tim, I’ll think about it.”

“Okay.”

Gibbs heard the screened door close. He liked Tim, but still wondered if Abby was enough to keep such a city boy forever in the country. Would they ever get together or was Tim wasting his time on a relationship that would never come to be?

“The cucumbers do look great,” said Tony.

Startled from his thoughts, Gibbs looked up to see the young man staring down at him. Leaning over, Tony reached down, touching one of the vegetables. “Excellent length, good girth, firm. Really, quite perfect.”

“That’s a zucchini,” Gibbs said.

“Oh. Well, it’s still quite nice. I was kind of bored up in my room.”

“You’ve only been here for ten minutes.”

“It’s been at least twenty since I pulled up.”

“Still not long enough to be bored.”

Stooping down beside Gibbs, Tony asked softly, “Tell me, Gibbs, what is long enough?”

Gibbs couldn’t stop the chuckle. 

“Did I say something amusing?”

“Ellie thought you were flirting with me. The way you’re talking, I can see why she thought that.”

“Direct. I like that. You interested?”

“Seriously? You think I’m gay?” It didn’t bother him that Tony seemed interested in him. Actually, he was flattered.

“It doesn’t matter to me. I’m Tri-sexual myself. Meaning, I’ll try just about anything, sexually speaking. All I can tell about you is that you’re hot.”

Gibbs pulled a few weeds, then dropped them into a bucket as he stood up. “Don’t you think I’m a little too old for you?”

“What can I say? You’re exactly my type. Gray really is your color. And your eyes, I could get lost in those baby blues. I can tell you stay active. I majored in physical education at college. I know a finely tuned body when I see one.”

Brushing the dirt off his hands, Gibbs gave Tony a good look over from head to toe.

“Like what you see?”

“Not bad,” admitted Gibbs, closing the distance between them.

“You ready to show me this car of yours?”

Gibbs nodded toward the barn. “She’s in there.”

“Cool, let’s take a look.”

Tony followed Gibbs across the short distance between the garden and the barn. In front of the barn was what passed for a parking lot of sorts. The lot itself was large enough to turn a truck and trailer around. The delivery trucks tended to create dips and ruts in the gravel drive which Gibbs worked to fill. He kept it level enough they could walk it without stumbling.

When they reached the barn, Gibbs pushed the door aside, leading the way. The opening allowed in enough light that Tony could see the tools and workbench, the old stalls, and the covered car as well. 

“You work on cars, too?” asked Tony.

“Out here, you do what you have to do. Although Ellie’s husband is an auto mechanic.”

“That’s convenient.”

“If I ever need parts or help, I’m sure it will be.” 

Tony stood aside as Gibbs pulled the cover off the old car.

“She’s a beauty!” Tony exclaimed. “Honestly, I was expecting an old rust bucket.”

“It wasn’t in such good shape when I bought it decades ago. The owner here stored it for me for years. She said Jake fixed it up a couple years ago.”

Tony ran his hand along the hood. “He does nice work.”

“Yes, he does.”

“Where were you that you put the car in storage for years?”

“Long story.”

“I have time.”

“The owner here, Diane. She’s my ex-wife.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. When we divorced, she took the house, but promised she would keep the car in storage for me. She remarried and moved a couple times. She even told me once that she junked the car. I thought it was gone. I didn’t think she kept anything of mine after she moved.”

“But she did? Why?”

“I have no idea. One night Diane and her husband ran into me and offered me a job out here. I was surprised when I arrived and saw the car.”

“And she fixed it up for you. Sounds like one hell of a woman.” 

“She can be a handful. Sometimes. And then she’ll surprise you. She kept my old clothes, too. Everything it seems.”

Turning around, Tony walked over to the workbench, inspecting the tools. A bottle caught his eye. “I take it you prefer bourbon to wine,” he said, chuckling slightly.

Gibbs grabbed the bottle from him. “Bourbon is my favorite drink.”

“I’m a bit more used to beer, but I’m getting the hang of wine. Scotch was my dad’s drink. I’ve had that and a few different cocktails. Mind if I try a shot of your bourbon?”

“It has a kick to it,” warned Gibbs as he reached for a couple glass jars. After wiping them out, he splashed a bit of bourbon into each one, offering one to Tony.

“Classy,” Tony commented as he held the glass up. “Nice color.” 

Before Gibbs could stop him, Tony chugged the entire shot and started choking on it.

“Tony! It’s bourbon. You sip it,” said Gibbs as he refilled Tony’s glass.

“Wow!” exclaimed Tony once he could breathe again. “That does have a kick to it.”

“Yeah, it does.”

Taking his glass with him, Tony walked over to the car and sat on the hood.

Gibbs almost growled at him. “Don’t scratch my car!”

Tony jumped off immediately. “Easy there. You’re going to get more damage from stone chips driving these gravel roads than I could ever do with my jeans. But if it bothers you, I can take care of that.”

Setting his glass down on the workbench, Tony dropped his jeans and stepped out of them. 

Gibbs raised his eyebrows. “You’re not wearing underwear,” he observed.

“What can I say? I hate panty lines. Getting a good look?”

“Sorry,” Gibbs mumbled as he turned away and sipped his bourbon. He couldn’t believe he’d been checking out another man’s penis.

“Don’t be. I just hope you like what you see.”

With Gibbs turning back and staring at him, Tony proceeded to take off his shirt, then carefully folded his clothing and set them on the end of the workbench. 

Gibbs noticed the smooth chest.

“I have it waxed,” Tony explained. “I like it smooth.”

“Just the way I like my bourbon,” noted Gibbs.

After retrieving his glass, Tony filled it again, then went to sit on the hood.

“Now what?” Tony asked.

“Butt prints.”

Tony laughed so hard, Gibbs couldn’t resist joining in. 

“Come on over here,” Tony said. “Are you going to make me get off your car?”

“I could.” Gibbs stayed where he was for a few moments, studying Tony and considering his options.

“Show me. You think you’re man enough to handle all this?” Tony teased.

As Gibbs closed in, Tony finished his drink, slipped off the car and wrapped his arms around Gibbs’ neck. Leaning closer, Tony nuzzled at Gibbs neck, kissing him and licking a trail along his jawline.

“You know what the difference is between a man and a woman?” asked Tony.

Gibbs took the empty glass from Tony’s hand and set it on the workbench. “I have a pretty good idea.”

“I mean sex. You see, a man knows exactly what a man wants. I could make it so good for you, Gibbs.”

“You’ve been drinking.”

Tony came close again, hugging Gibbs tightly and kissing him. “So fucking what? You’re hot and I’m horny. I think that’s enough.”

“I have to go. I have to cook dinner.”

Dropping his hand, Tony cupped Gibbs’ cock. “I think part of you rather stay and play.” 

“I don’t have time,” he said softly. He remembered back to hard times in the streets when he’d turned to another man just to have physical contact with another human being. Tony was different. He was much more attractive than any other man he’d been with previously. His hand drifted down to push Tony’s aside. He wanted the young man before him, but he needed a little more time. He was used to being the one in charge. Tony was going to have to learn to play by Gibbs’ rules.

“Your eyes, they seem to want to stay.”

Gibbs chuckled. “Unfortunately, they’ll have to come along with the rest of me.”

Tony pulled him into another kiss, this time slipping his tongue between Gibbs’ lips. As they pressed closely together, Tony began grinding his cock against Gibbs. “I’ll make it so good,” he whispered. “So good.”

Gibbs grasped Tony’s arms and pulled them loose, backing away. “I really have to get to work.”

“I’ll stop by later. Get something to eat.”

“Yeah. You do that. We’re open until ten,” Gibbs walked to the door, then turned around quickly. “I have to close this up. You might want to get dressed.”

Tony laughed, but grabbed his clothes and dressed quickly. When he reached the door, he grabbed Gibbs’ ass, giving it a good squeeze. “Can’t wait.”

Gibbs smiled and shook his head. He needed time to think.


	4. Chapter Four

Gibbs walked quickly back through the garden, he stopped briefly to grab his pail of weeds before and setting them outside the backdoor of the restaurant. Glancing around, he caught a glimpse of Tony reaching the front door of the B&B. As the door opened, Tony turned and waved to Gibbs from across the grounds. Gibbs gave a slight wave back before hurrying into the restaurant.

Inside the kitchen, Tim was busy finishing up his prep and getting his station ready for the evening meal service. Gibbs moved around Tim without a word and began checking the line, making sure they had what they needed for the dinner rush. 

Abby stepped in from the dining room. “Any dinner specials we should push tonight?”

Tilting his head as he checked the cooler, Gibbs replied, “Hand rubbed Black Angus steak.”

“I’ll put some potatoes in the oven,” offered Tim.

“Good.” Gibbs stirred the soups simmering on the stove. “Tonight’s soups are Jalapeno Cheddar Cheese and Stuffed Pepper.”

“Those are new,” Abby commented.

“One tastes like jalapeno cheese poppers, the other like stuffed peppers, made with ground beef, rice and green peppers in a tomato base.”

“They sound yummy! Can I take some samples out for the girls to taste?”

“Sure, Abs.” Gibbs quickly ladled a couple ounces of each soup into several small soufflé cups.

“They smell super awesome!”

Tim had finished setting up his salad station. “I notice you don’t offer much fish or seafood on the menu. Chef Thomas liked to offer a little bit of everything.”

“In case you haven’t noticed, Chef Thomas hasn’t been around for months.”

“True.”

“I don’t like the smell of seafood. It literally stinks.”

“Yeah, but if it’s popular it will sell.”

“Maybe if I go fishing, we can sell what I catch. The Fornells prefer to sell fresh, not frozen, and there’s nothing worse than having old fish stinking up everything else.”

“You have a point.”

“We do offer shrimp cocktail if they want seafood.”

“True.”

“And I put vegetarian crap on the menu to make the girls happy.”

Tim laughed. “You have to keep the girls happy.”

“Yeah, you do. Unless you want a miserable woman nagging at you all the time.”

Abby ducked around the corner long enough to mention, “The soups are fantastic, Gibbs. And you would both do well to keep us girls happy.”

Gibbs nodded as he sorted through his herbs and spices, organizing them. “Thanks, Abs.”

Tim blushed.

“She’s terrific, Tim. I can see why you wanted to come back to be near her.”

“I missed her so much. More than I ever thought I would.”

“Are you ever going to ask her out? There may not be a lot of competition around here. But still. You have to make a move sometime.”

“Do you think I should?”

Gibbs paused, wiping his hands on his apron. “Yeah, Tim. Were you planning to just hang out here for years and never tell her you’re interested? Never tell her she’s the reason you came back?”

Tim’s blush deepened. “What if she doesn’t feel the same way?” he asked softly.

“Better to know now, than after you’ve spent five or ten years pining away in silence.”

“Sometimes wanting is better than having.”

Gibbs shook his head. “Not when it comes to relationships. If it’s the right one, there is nothing else better.”

“Have you ever found the right one, Gibbs? I know about you and Diane. But you’re divorced.”

“Yes, we are. I had the perfect love before that.”

“But you’re not together anymore, obviously. What happened?”

Gibbs hesitated as the memories came flooding back. “She was killed,” he revealed softly.

“I’m so sorry.”

“It’s ancient history. It was painful when she died, but I’m glad to have had the chance to spend a few years with her. Lots of fond memories.”

“That’s good.”

“You could be missing out on a lot of fond memories with Abby,” suggested Gibbs, steering the conversation away from his painful memories. “You will never know if you don’t ask. How would you feel if someone else comes along and asks her out before you do? And she accepts?”

Tim inhaled deeply and let out a long sigh. “I know you’re right. Do you think you’ll ever find anyone else? Someone special?”

“I sure hope so.”

Two hours later, Tony walked in through the back door of the kitchen. “Wow, if it tastes as good as it smells, I will be a happy man.”

“Tony! Guests use the front door,” Gibbs pointed out.

Tony walked across the room, then rested his head against the chef’s shoulder. “But you’re in here, not out there. I thought maybe you had a nice intimate kitchen table for special guests such as me.”

Gibbs shrugged Tony’s head off. “No. It’s a tight squeeze with me, Tim and Rick. No room back here for a Tony.”

“You wound me, Gibbs. And who is Rick?”

“Dishwasher and janitor. Hey, Abs!”

“Yes, my silver fox?”

“This is Tony. Please find him a table. In the dining room.”

“Your wish is my command. Come with me, Tony. I have a perfect spot for you.”

Moments later, Tony was seated at a table near the fireplace with a menu in front of him.

“I’ll grab you some bread to start. Did you want anything to drink?” asked Abby.

“Water for now and wine with dinner, please. What’s good tonight?”

“Tonight’s special is a hand rubbed Black Angus steak, served with a baked potato, fresh sautéed mixed vegetables and your choice of soup or salad. Tonight’s soups are Jalapeno Cheddar and Stuffed Pepper, made from scratch by our very own chef.”

“Is the steak hand rubbed by Gibbs personally?”

“Every last one of them. He takes great pride in hand massaging his meat to its impeccable best.”

Tony laughed out loud.

“Then he seasons each one to perfection. How would you like it cooked?”

“Medium rare.”

“Good choice. Soup or salad?”

“I’ll try the Jalapeno Cheddar. Sounds interesting.”

“It’s fabulous!”

“And can you bring a glass of red wine? Whatever you recommend to compliment Gibbs’ hand rubbed steak.”

“One glass or carafe? We have full and half carafes.”

“I may be here a while. Make it a full carafe. It’s not like I’ll be driving tonight.”

“I promise to see that you make it back to your room.”

“Maybe I was hoping to stay in someone else’s room tonight,” Tony said with a wink.

“I can see you’re a handful. No worries, though. We’ll still take good care of you.”

Minutes later, Abby delivered a loaf of bread, butter and the carafe of wine. “Ellie at the B&B bakes all of our bread on site.”

“I like it here. It’s a nice place.”

“How long are you staying?”

“I paid for a week.”

“Good. It is a nice place to relax. I run trail rides across the road during the day. If you’re interested, let me know whenever.”

“I’ll think about it.”

When Abby dropped off the soup, she mentioned, “I haven’t tried it, but I bet this soup will go great with Ellie’s bread.”

“I could use chunks of bread like crackers.”

“Exactly!”

“Abby, how well do you know Gibbs?”

“I don’t know. I guess as well as anyone around here. He came to work with us a couple months ago.”

“Tell me about him.”

“Other than he’s a silver fox and a brilliant chef? Let’s see. He’s a great handyman, too. He’s done carpentry work and painting to spruce up the buildings.”

“I was thinking on a more personal level. Does he date much?”

Abby’s smile spread across her face. “Not since he’s been here. He’s divorced.”

“Yeah, he told me his ex-wife owns the place.”

“That is true. I heard he was married before her. He doesn’t talk much about his personal life, but he’s been super nice to me. Diane, his ex, said he was always very loyal and protective. That’s her over there, with her current husband, Tobias.”

Tony glanced around, spotting Diane with her husband and daughter. “That Gibbs’ kid?”

“No, Fornell’s. Her name is Emily.”

“So Diane and Gibbs have been divorced for years. Emily is what, about sixteen?”

“Not quite. She’s fifteen and can’t stop talking about getting her driver’s license.”

“That means they’ve been divorced for at least sixteen years, maybe twenty.”

“Maybe. Unless she was fooling around with Fornell when she was still married to Gibbs.”

“I can’t see that happening. Who would cheat on Gibbs?”

When Abby picked up Tony’s steak in the kitchen, she stopped and looked at Gibbs.

“What, Abs?”

“That guy, Tony. He’s been asking about you.”

“Asking what?”

“If you’re seeing anyone.”

Gibbs chuckled. “He doesn’t strike me as a person who cares if someone is involved or not.”

“He acts like he’s interested in you. Do you think he’s gay or bisexual?”

“He told me he was tri-sexual, so anything goes.”

“Really? Interesting.”

“And he said he was interested. In me.”

“The plot thickens. And?”

“And what?”

“Are you interested back?”

Gibbs shrugged, feeling slightly embarrassed. He knew Abby cared about him, but wasn’t sure he wanted to have this conversation with her, especially in the middle of a dinner service. “I don’t know. Maybe. I guess it is flattering to have a nice looking young man chasing after me.”

“I suppose. Can’t wait to see what he wants for dessert.”

“I think I already know.”

“Oh, Gibbs, you tease!”

After Abby left, Gibbs turned to Tim. “You really need to ask her out. I don’t think she realizes how you feel about her.”

“You and Tony?”

Gibbs smiled as he plated a lemon pepper chicken dish with mushroom risotto. “Why not? He’s a charming and handsome young man, quite personable. And you need to focus on Abby, not me.”

Out in the dining room, Tony watched the other customers come and go. Diane noticed him looking around and stepped over to his table at one point, taking the chair opposite him.

“I’m Diane Fornell, the owner. You’re Tony DiNozzo, right?”

“Yes. Good guess.”

“It wasn’t really a guess. Rest and Vine is not that big of a place and I like to personally meet and chat with each of our guests. I want people to feel as if this is their second home.”

Tony took a long sip from his wine glass. “I suppose that’s a good way to keep them coming back.”

“That’s why we’re successful here. Modestly successful, perhaps. We like everyone to feel comfortable when they visit.”

“Excellent wine.”

“Thank you.”

“That’s all you need for success, isn’t it? A good product and a little business savvy.”

“Do you have business savvy, Mr. DiNozzo?”

Tony smiled and sipped his wine again. “I’m actually a Phys. Ed. major. However, I did take a few business classes at college.”

“What are you looking for?”

“What?”

“I’ve been watching you observing everyone else. It’s like you’re studying every person in the room.”

“Or casing the joint?”

“There are too many people around for one man to do too much damage.”

“I’ve been told I’m dangerous. Danger is my middle name. _Austin Powers, International Man Of Mystery_. Great movie.”

“What are you really up to?”

“Just passing time. I thought I could use a little down time after graduating college. This looked like a nice, relaxing place.”

“It is.”

“I come in peace, Diane. I’m not here to cause any trouble. Just came to unwind a little. I find people interesting. Don’t you?”

“Some of them.”

“It’s fascinating, really, trying to figure out what makes people tick. Everyone has their own story.”

“Are you planning to be a detective one day?”

“I like to keep my options open.”

“That’s actually my husband’s day job during the week. He’s a FBI agent.” Turning, Diane gave a quick smile and wave to Tobias across the room. 

“I’ll bet he’s a huge help in running background checks on all your employees.”

“He does have his uses. He also carries a gun.”

“Good to know. I’m sure I will sleep better knowing he’s prepared to protect and serve.”

“That’s the police.”

“Yeah? What does the FBI do?”

Rising from the chair, Diane pushed it back against the table. “They’re prepared to get all up in your business.”

Tony nodded. “Good to know. If he checks up on me, just make sure he’s looking at Anthony DiNozzo, Junior. My father, Senior, is a completely different story.”

He wondered what Diane was really up to as she left his table and went into the kitchen before returning to the dining room. She chatted amiably with other guests as she left with her family.

Tony caught Abby’s attention and ordered a cheese sampler platter to nibble on as he finished his wine.

“Let me know if you want dessert or coffee later.”

“I’m good for now,” Tony assured her. “Chef Gibbs promised me something special, off menu, for dessert.”

“I will bet he did.”

Tony waited around, watching as the crowd thinned until he was the last guest in the restaurant.

Abby cleared away the rest of the tableware, and left the tab for him to pay. 

Tony handed over his credit card after glancing at the bill. “How late does Gibbs usually work?”

“He and Tim are cleaning up. They should be done soon.”

After Tony signed off on his receipt, he meandered back to the kitchen once more. “My compliments to the chef.”

Gibbs and Tim looked up from cleaning their counters. 

“Thanks, Tony. I’m glad you enjoyed it,” Gibbs said.

“You promised to make me something special sometime. I thought I’d take you up on it for dessert.”

“Kitchen is closed, Tony,” Gibbs said gruffly as he continued working.

Tony was not intimidated by Gibbs’ tone. “Come on, Chef Gibbs. When I got here, didn’t you say I only needed to ask and there would always be someone around to make me anything my heart desired?”

“You are persistent. I’ll give you that.”

Tony moved around to the back of the counter and allowed his hand to drift along Gibbs’ waistline. “I know what I want and I go for it. Is that such a bad thing?”

Gibbs set down his towel and untied his apron before tossing it into a laundry bag against the wall. “Tim, can you and Rick finish up? It seems one of our guests needs some special attention.”

“Sure, Gibbs.”

“I’ll take my key.”

Tim nodded as he continued wrapping up pans of food.

As they stepped outside, Tony asked, “You guys actually lock the doors? I figured way out here in the country, there wouldn’t be much risk.”

“That’s true. But we keep a lot of food and wine in there. We do keep the restaurant and the wine shop locked up with an alarm system in place. So does the actual winery, the B&B and the owner’s home.”

“They’re not going to lock me out of the B&B are they?”

“I doubt it. But they should have given you two keys.”

“She did. I thought they were two keys to the room.”

“One should be to the front door. Ellie keeps asking Jake about putting in a card scanner.” Gibbs laughed as they walked across the lot toward the barn. “And yet, that door is rarely actually locked. And if it is, I think you can usually sneak in the back through the laundry room.”

“Good to know.”

“I don’t think anyone has ever tried to check in after six pm without calling ahead.”

“How do you use an alarm system with people wandering around inside the buildings?”

“The alarms have zones. The office at the B&B would have the alarm on, but the lobby would not. They may have more zones alarmed if there aren’t any guests.”

“I guess the more guests around, the safer it is.”

“Safety in numbers.”

“That’s what Diane said. She said there were too many people here for anyone to really do anything criminal. And her husband carries a gun.”

“I have a gun, too. So does Jake and Ellie. And Kate and Ziva.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Some for protection. People raised out in the country often learn to handle firearms and hunt at a young age. Most of us have them around for protection.”

“What do you need a piece for protection way out here? It’s so serene and peaceful.”

“Fornell is FBI. I used to be a Marine. Still a Marine, just done with my duty. I’ve carried a gun since I joined up.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Ellie and Jake’s dads taught them about guns. Kate used to be a cop. Ziva used to be a weapons expert in Israel.”

“What is she doing here?”

“Getting away from all the killing.”

“What about Tim?”

“Yeah, he has one, too. His dad is a Marine.”

“I feel safer already.”

Gibbs pushed back the heavy barn door and turned on a light. The bourbon bottle on the workbench was almost empty. Grabbing a couple of glasses, he drained what was left.

“I’ve already had a carafe of wine.”

“Heard you nursed it for hours.”

Tony reached for the bourbon. “If I puke, it’ll be on you.”

“I’m not forcing you to drink it.”

“I’d hate to make you drink alone.”

“I drink alone quite often. Hasn’t done me any harm.”

After closing the distance between them, Tony placed a hand on Gibbs’ hip. “I’d hate to make you do other things alone,” he said as he nuzzled Gibbs’ ear.

“I haven’t gone blind yet, either.”

“You’re rather fascinating to me, Gibbs. What’s your first name?”

“Leroy. I prefer Gibbs.”

“Okay, Gibbs it is. Now, how about that special dessert you promised?”

“I’ll need to get back in the kitchen for that. We’ll have to wait until Tim goes to bed.”

“What’s his deal? He seems a little green, as in inexperienced.”

“That about sums it up. I imagine he grew up splitting his time between reading and playing computer games.”

“How did he wind up here?”

“He answered an ad for a summer job when he was in college. Said he liked it and came back full time after he graduated.”

“And you were invited by your ex-wife.”

“Guilty as charged.”

“Diane certainly is fiery. She seems to think I’m casing out the joint. After asking a lot of questions, she told me her husband works for the FBI and carries a gun.”

Gibbs laughed. “She is something.”

“What were you doing before you came out here? I mean, did you just drop everything and leave it all behind?”

Gibbs looked away, hesitating. Leaning his forehead against Tony’s, he softly admitted, “I’d lost my job at a restaurant and was broke. My choices were to live on the street or come out here.”

“I’d imagine this is way better than living on the streets.”

“Very true,” Gibbs agreed before pulling Tony close for a long kiss. Tony’s lips were warm and inviting.

“You’ve done this before, haven’t you?” asked Tony. “You’re way too comfortable.”

“You can learn a lot out on the streets, especially when your options are limited.”

“I can’t imagine what that would be like.”

“It isn’t easy.”

“When does Tim go to bed?”

“After he cleans up the line and checks out the servers and the bartenders. It shouldn’t take long. He’s usually done before Rick. He’ll lock up when he leaves.”

“When will that be?”

“He’ll leave whenever he’s done. He drives a diesel truck. We’ll hear him leave. Impatient much?”

Tony ran his hand beneath Gibbs’ shirt, rubbing small circles across his stomach. “Yeah, you’re so hot. Can’t wait for more. And I want to know your secret.”

“Secret?”

“That was the best steak I’ve ever had. You sure do know how to rub a piece of meat the right way.”

“It took me years to perfect the spice blend. And the secret is to cook it over a flame and splash a little beer on it while it’s still on the grill.”

“Were you a chef in the Marines?”

“No, Gunnery Sergeant.”

“How’d you get into cooking?”

“Grew up leaning how to cook over an open flame. Then I had the opportunity to take some classes set up for veterans.”

“Everything was delicious.”

“Thanks.”

The roar of Rick’s truck grabbed their attention.

Gibbs nodded toward outside. “Let’s go.”

Tony didn’t need to be asked twice. He was right behind Gibbs going through the door. As Gibbs closed up the barn, Tony looked up at the sky.

“The stars are so bright out here. Beautiful.”

“Tim has a telescope set up in his room. There are a couple great places to stargaze around here.”

“I could go for that.”

“If you like horses, I can get Abby to take us on a moonlight ride.”

“Sounds like fun. It’s been a while since I’ve ridden a horse.”

Once the pair reached the back door, Gibbs used his key to enter, then punched a security code into the alarm pad in the hallway.

“Eerie,” Tony whispered. “It’s so quiet.”

“There’s no need to whisper.”

“What about Tim?”

“What about him? He’s upstairs and probably sound asleep.”

Tony followed Gibbs into the kitchen, where he immediately shed his clothes, folded them and set them on the counter.

“Nice to know you’re not shy,” Gibbs commented. 

Tony settled atop one of the kitchen counters. “Chilly.”

“Stainless steel is cold, but I’ll warm you up. Of course, I will have to sanitize it later. Make it safe for food service again.” Closing in on Tony, Gibbs put an arm to either side of him, leaning against the counter as he pressed a kiss against Tony’s stomach. “What would you like for dessert?”

“Anything you’re willing to serve me. My taste buds are in your hands. Ever hear of the naked chef?”

“Nope.”

“You’d be very sexy if you were wearing nothing except your chef’s hat.”

Tony sat and watched as Gibbs undressed, folded his clothing into a neat pile, then ducked into the office. A moment later, he emerged wearing only his chef’s hat.

“Damn, Gibbs. You look good coming and going.”

After giving Tony a quick kiss, Gibbs noted, “I’ll bet coming is a lot more fun.”

“And I was right, that is very hot, naked you in a chef’s hat.”

“I’ll be right back.”

“Where are you going?”

“To get your dessert.”

“I could take a bite out of your ass. It looks scrumptious!”

Tony watched as Gibbs came out of the walk-in cooler with a few eggs and some heavy cream. After setting the cream in a mixer, he set a pan of water on the stove over a low hear. He cracked the eggs into a bowl, then handed it to Tony along with a whisk.

“Here, make yourself useful.”

“Ever use your dick to stir things?” asked Tony.

“Never. There are rules of sanitation to follow in the kitchen. Get your whisk on.”

“I’m not sure I have the magic touch.”

“Nothing magic about it, Tony. I’ll be right back.”

Gibbs returned a few moments later with a small cup of espresso. After taking the bowl from Tony, he added the contents of the cup along with some sugar and salt. Putting it over the heat, he added in a bit of chocolate.

“I love watching you work,” admitted Tony as he hopped off the counter, stepped behind Gibbs and began rubbing his shoulders.

“I take it back, you do have a magic touch.”

Once the chocolate was melted, Gibbs set the mixture in the cooler and brought out a couple more eggs. Grabbing another bowl, he whipped up the egg whites and added in a little more sugar.

“Sweet,” commented Tony. 

Minutes later, Gibbs retrieved the chocolate mixture from the cooler and folded in the cream and egg white mixtures.

“Chocolate mousse!” Tony exclaimed. “I love chocolate mousse.”

“Chocolate is a good guess for most people,” said Gibbs as he divided the mixture into a handful of clear, stemmed glasses. “And now for the magic,” he added with a smile.

Tony watched as Gibbs set all the glasses on a tray and disappeared into the cooler with them. Moments later he returned with one glass filled with chocolate mousse. 

When he was close enough, Tony reached out to touch it. “It’s cold. Gibbs, this was already in there.”

“That’s how they do it on the cooking shows. Show how it’s done, then show the finished product. It’s better if it you give it a few hours to chill.”

“You made me wait. Why?”

“I thought you’d enjoy the anticipation.”

Tony grinned. “You have the perfect mix of tease and finesse.”

“Thank you. Now, you can lie down on the counter.”

“It’s cold up there, Gibbs!”

“If you want dessert, you’ll do what I tell you.”

Tony huffed, then lifted himself back onto the cold steel surface.

Gibbs grabbed a few plastic bottles from the under counter cooler, then turned his attention to Tony. “Don’t move,” he ordered.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Tony promised. When Gibbs began drizzling the squeeze bottles over him, Tony shivered. “It’s cold!”

“Hush.”

“What’s in those bottles?”

“Raspberry sauce, white chocolate sauce and a chocolate wine sauce.”

“Okay. Sounds like a splendid taste mix.”

“It’ll blow your mind.”

“If you blow my mind, I may be blowing something for you later on.”

“Promise?”

“I haven’t stopped thinking about sucking your cock since you took your pants off.”

Once Gibbs was satisfied with his work, he leaned over and licked his warm tongue across Tony’s abdomen. “Tastes phenomenal,” he whispered.

Reaching across the counter, he grabbed the glass of chocolate mousse and dipped his finger in it, then brought the offering to Tony’s lips. Lifting one hand, Tony gently steadied Gibbs’ wrist, directing it to his mouth so he could suck the sweet dessert off of it.

“Good stuff,” Tony said. “Can’t wait for more.”

Gibbs leaned in and kissed him, twining their tongues together. 

“Damn,” Tony exclaimed when Gibbs pulled away. “I can taste everything, the raspberry, the white chocolate and the chocolate wine flavors. Kiss me again!”

Gibbs licked higher up on Tony’s chest then closed in for another kiss.

Several minutes later, when the mousse was gone, Gibbs stepped back and admired the body before him. The hardened cock grabbed his attention.

“And what are we going to do about that?” asked Tony. “This was great and all, but here I am all sticky and I haven’t even come.”

Gibbs offered his hand to help Tony down, then took the empty mousse glass to the dishwasher. When he returned, he wiped the counter down with a damped cloth then tossed it to Tony. “Follow me.”

Tony wiped himself down quickly before following Gibbs upstairs. Their first stop was the shower. Gibbs allowed the water to warm up, then pulled Tony in with him. After soaping up his hand, he reached down and pumped Tony’s cock. Holding him close, he kissed him, occasionally dropping down to lick at Tony’s nipples and suck the base of his neck.

Tony began humping into Gibbs’ hand. “I want so much more. I want you to take me to bed and fuck me until dawn.”

“One thing at a time,” said Gibbs as he dropped to his knees, taking the tip of Tony’s cock into his mouth. As he sucked the end, he continued pumping the shaft in long stokes.

“That feels so good.” Tony moaned as he fucked Gibbs’ mouth.

Pulling back, Gibbs ran a thumb over the tip, as he looked up. “Don’t wake up Tim. I’m not sure I’d want to explain.”

“We could ask him to join us,” Tony offered.

Gibbs chuckled at the thought, then moved his hand to cup Tony’s balls, taking the cock in his mouth once more.

When Tony climaxed, he leaned forward, putting some of his weight on Gibbs’ shoulders as he savored the moment. “That was amazing.”

As he helped Tony balance, he stood up and rinsed them both off. Grabbing a towel from the shelf, he dried them both off. 

“What would Tim think if he saw us now?” Tony asked as they walked down the hall to Gibbs’ room.

“Not worried about it,” said Gibbs as he led the way to his bed.


	5. Chapter Five

Gibbs woke up first. As he spooned behind Tony he realized how much he missed this type of intimate contact and also how hard his cock was. Reaching over Tony, he took his hand into his and twined their fingers together. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt so perfectly satisfied.

When Tony awoke, he snuggled back against Gibbs’ warmth. “I don’t suppose you have a condom and some lube?”

“Plenty of oil in the kitchen.”

“I have a condom in my wallet. Sounds like you have a mission this morning, Chef.”

Gibbs peppered kisses across the back of Tony’s neck, then pushed himself out of bed. “Don’t you wander off.”

“I’m not leaving this bed until I’m properly fucked.”

Gibbs felt the sudden rush of blood to his cock.

Turning, Tony gave a quick salute, “Morning soldier.”

Reaching over, Gibbs lightly smacked the back of Tony’s head.

“It was standing at attention.”

“Don’t move. I’ll be right back.”

The towel they’d used the night before grabbed Gibbs’ attention. After wrapping it around his waist, he went down the hall and staircase into the kitchen. Once there, he gathered up Tony’s clothing and his own before grabbing a bottle of olive oil before returning upstairs.

Tim met him in the hallway and eyed the oil, the towel Gibbs was wearing and the tenting in front curiously. “Good morning.”

“Morning. Old house. There have been some odd noises in my room. I thought a little oil may quiet things down.”

“I’m getting cold and lonely in here,” Tony called through the closed door.

Gibbs and Tim both turned and stared at the door for a moment. 

Tim coughed uncomfortably. “I’ll be downstairs. With my headphones on.”

The bedroom door opened and Tony stuck his head out. “I was wondering what was taking so long. Want to have some fun, Tim?” Tony asked, waggling his eyebrows.

Tim backed himself against the wall, shook his head and nearly ran to the staircase. The moment he disappeared from sight, Tony started laughing. “I guess people have different ideas of fun.”

“Some,” Gibbs responded as he pushed his way back into the bedroom, kicking the door closed behind him.

Tony grabbed his pants from the pile of clothing, then dug the condom out of his wallet. “There you go, Marine. Let’s see what you can do.”

Tossing the towel aside, Gibbs wrapped one arm around Tony and backed him across the room. 

Tony climbed onto the bed first, grabbing the pillows and shoving them under his hips. “I want to see your face,” he explained. He watched as Gibbs ripped open the condom wrapper with his teeth, then rolled the condom onto his cock.

“You ready?” asked Gibbs.

“No foreplay?”

“That’s what last night was all about.”

Tony adjusted his position and looked up at Gibbs. “Damn, you’re so hot.”

Gibbs poured a dab of oil into the palm of his hand, then covered the condom with it before coating his fingers. Leaning forward, he kissed a trail from the patch of hair above Tony’s cock up to his lips. As they kissed, he reached down and rubbed a lubed finger at Tony’s hole.

Tony spread his legs wide, wrapping his legs around Gibbs’ torso and pulling him close. “Don’t toy with me, Gibbs. Fuck me hard.”

“ _Fast And Furious_?”

“Kudos for the movie reference, but I’m not sure furious is the way to go with sex. I’ll settle for hot and slick.”

Gibbs slowly pressed in one finger, then another once he felt Tony loosen up. “Feels like you’re hot and the oil is slick.”

“Perfect match.”

“Ready to make some fire?”

“You planning on rubbing our sticks together?”

“If that’s what it takes.”

Pulling out his fingers, Gibbs quickly wiped his hands on the towel and poured out another dab of oil. As he watched Tony for reaction, he rubbed his oil-slicked hands across Tony’s chest, pausing to tweak the nipples and smiling when Tony arched his back.

Lining up his cock, Gibbs pressed the tip against Tony’s hole. Before pressing inside, he reached around to give Tony’s balls a light squeeze. Tony moaned slightly and reached for Gibbs.

“I want you,” he said as he pushed his ass against Gibbs’ cock. Reaching down, he gave his own cock a couple pumps until Gibbs slapped his hand away. “Come on, Gibbs. Don’t leave me hanging.”

“First you want more foreplay, now you’re being teased and left hanging? What am I going to do with you?”

Tony smiled broadly. “I have a lot of thoughts on that subject.”

“Share later. I have plans for your immediate future,” said Gibbs. Before Tony could answer, Gibbs pressed their lips together. As he snaked his tongue into Tony’s mouth, he pushed his cock in. As Tony adjusted, Gibbs began rocking his hips until his cock was fully inside.

Tony wrapped his hands around Gibbs’ back, holding him tightly as they moved together. Breaking the kiss, he threw his head back and moaned as Gibb’s cock rubbed against his prostate.

“There,” he said as he panted. “Right there.”

“I think I know when I’ve turned something on.”

Gibbs continued thrusting until his climax took hold. Using his oiled hand, he began pumping Tony’s cock as their eyes met. They held the gaze until Tony closed his eyes and came.

They were both breathing heavily when Gibbs removed the condom and tossed it into the trash.

Tony reached for Gibbs’ hand and gave it a squeeze. “Of all the wineries and B&Bs in the world, I managed to find this one. Best stop I ever made.”

“I’m glad you did stop here,” said Gibbs as he began rubbing his hand across Tony’s chest and abdomen. “You’re in pretty good shape, too. For a Phys.Ed. major.”

A question danced on his lips. He wanted to ask how long Tony was going to stick around, but he couldn’t get the words out. Instead, he rolled onto his back and pulled Tony close, resting the younger man’s head on his shoulder. Leaning over, he kissed Tony and ran his fingers through his hair as he wondered how he was ever going to let Tony go.

After their first night together, Tony spent much of his time trailing after Gibbs and occasionally helping out in the garden or with carpentry projects. In the evenings he would sit at a table in the restaurant when it was open or would spend time in the wine tasting room when the restaurant was closed. The rest of the staff found him as charming as Gibbs did and made him feel welcome.

There were times he was able to drag Gibbs away from working and they’d take long drives in Tony’s Mustang, go hiking or fishing nearby. They took Abby up on her offer of trail rides; once during the day for a picnic ride and once the night of a full moon. They brought blankets and wine, spending hours on top of a hill enjoying the stars. Tim had joined them and pointed out planets and constellations to the others.

Tony had paid for a second week at the B&B, despite spending more time in Gibbs’ room than his own. In the middle of the week, he found Gibbs out in the garden.

“Ellie said I have to check out.”

Gibbs prepared himself to hear the news that Tony was packing up and moving on. Looking up, Gibbs shaded his eyes and asked, “What did you do now?”

“It wasn’t me, I swear. There’s some huge family reunion thing coming in next week. They booked all the cottages and rooms.”

Gibbs’ stomach dropped as he stood up. Swallowing deeply, he realized how attached he’d become to Tony in the short time they had together. He knew he wasn’t ready to be alone again so soon. “Bummer. You moving on?”

“I don’t have to. I sort of like it here.”

“Really? You don’t strike me as someone who puts down roots.”

“You see me as a traveling man?”

“Pretty much, yeah.”

“You know that song, Gibbs. Johnny Cash’s _‘I’ve Been Everywhere, Man’_ song?”

“Sure.”

“After high school, I traveled a little around New England, then went to Europe. I traveled over there for a few years and made my way around to several other countries. Sometimes by bus, sometimes by train or plane and sometimes I just hitchhiked. It was a great education. I’ve been to a lot of cities in the US, too. I’ve visited a lot of places in my life. But there is nowhere else on the planet where I would rather be than here. And no one I would rather spend my time with than you. I hope you believe that.”

“Are you proposing?”

Tony chuckled and glanced off into the distance. “No. Diane offered me a job.”

Gibbs took off his gardening gloves and wiped the sweat from his forehead. “She did what?”

“Offered me a job.”

“Doing what?”

“The winery is doing well. She wants to send Jen off traveling a bit on business. They’ve set up for her to take some of the wines to fairs and wine tasting challenges. She’s also going to visit retail places and restaurants on sales calls. So, Diane has hired me to help with the winery side. I’m going to do the books, take orders, do some packing and shipping and also run some deliveries. She’s buying an old delivery truck that Jake is going to fix up and paint.”

“You’re taking the job?” Gibbs asked hopefully.

“I thought I would. Unless you think there’s a reason I shouldn’t.”

Stepping forward, Gibbs embraced Tony. “I would love for you to stay. Really. I’ve gotten used to having you around.”

“They don’t have a room to give me, though. I guess I could stay in the barn with your car.”

“There is plenty of room. In fact, if you’re staying, we could move my car back and make a place to put the Mustang in there.”

“That would be awesome! So, I thought I could stay in the barn, or I could probably stay across the road at Abby’s place. Maybe I could find an apartment or room to rent in town. I heard Ducky has a room for rent.”

Gibbs smiled. “I think you’re skirting around an obvious choice.”

“Which is?”

“Hell, Tony, you’ve spent more nights here in my room than the B&B. Why don’t you just stay with me?”

“I didn’t want to impose.”

“You’re not,” Gibbs assured him as he leaned over to kiss Tony. “I like having you around.”

“Good. I will move my stuff at the end of the week.”

“Why wait?”

“Now who’s impatient?” Tony questioned.

“It’s no secret I enjoy having you around. You already spend most of your time with me anyway.”

“I haven’t missed a breakfast at the B&B since I’ve been here. Besides, I already prepaid the weekly rate.”

“Okay, but cut Ellie some slack. Don’t check out at the last minute. Give her some time to get the room ready. If we’re fully booked, she’s going to have her hands full.”

“Do you think she’ll still cook me breakfast?”

“No. She has guests to tend to. You can eat with the staff. We take turns putting breakfast together. Weekends are usually something simple and we do something special on the days the restaurant is closed.”

“You and Tim?”

“And the girls. Three servers, two bartenders and two cooks. We all get a day to cook breakfast.”

“Where do I fit in?”

“Can you cook?”

“Not so much. I’m pretty good at filling a cereal bowl.”

“I guess we could stick you with setting the table and washing the dishes. Or you could learn to cook and take a turn.”

“I can do the dishes. After all, you do have a dishwasher.”

Gibbs pulled Tony into a hug. “Except, it’s a waste to fill up the dishwasher for one load. We do breakfast dishes by hand.”

“I’m sure I will survive. What do you guys do around here in the winter?”

Gibbs smiled. If Tony was talking about the winter, he may be thinking of staying on permanently. “We’re still open. We won’t have many guests during the week, but the weekends are usually pretty busy year round.”

“The restaurant is still open?”

“Sure. At least Friday nights through Sunday nights. If you like the snow, there’s still plenty to do. There’s cross country skiing and sledding. Abby does sleigh rides. The winery is still open for parties, sometimes that includes the restaurant. We get booked by businesses and families. Winter rates are lower and all the rooms and cottages have heat.” 

“And you still have the wine tasting room open?”

“Everyday. Kate and Ziva both work the weekends, but they split the other four days, so they both have two days off. If it gets busy, they work it out.”

“And Tim stays up in his room reading and playing online games?”

“Sometimes. He also helps Abby a lot. She has a lot of animals to take care of.”

“I did notice.”

“All those animals still need to be fed and watered every day and the pens and stalls still need to be cleaned.”

“I’ll bet you help.”

“I haven’t been here for winter yet. I was only here a couple months before you arrived. But I asked the same questions.”

“Can we snuggle by the fireplace and watch the snow come down?”

“As much as you want,” Gibbs promised, imagining the scene. “Are you sure you’re done traveling?”

“Maybe not forever, but for now, yes.”

Leaning in close, Gibbs whispered in Tony’s ear. “I’m glad you’re staying.”

***

To visitors, Gibbs and Tony appeared to be two employees who spent a lot of time together, but they took care not to be too open in their displays of affection when guests were around.

The staff knew about their relationship and Diane was sure to tell Gibbs that he owed her one for hiring Tony.

“You didn’t have to hire him,” Gibbs told her.

“I’ve never seen you happier. I don’t know why, but that young man brings out the best in you, Leroy. It’s good to see you happy,” she said softly.

Gibbs thought back to all the crappy rental rooms he’d stayed in and all the lonely nights he had slept out on the streets. This was certainly better than those days. He knew he’d never get rich out here, but the days were pleasant and he enjoyed the company of his coworkers. Tony was a bonus on top of everything else.

It had never been in his plans to have such a deep connection with another man, but he couldn’t put his feelings for Tony into words. All he knew is that things were better for him when Tony was nearby. It had never occurred to him that the handsome young man wouldn’t move on after a week or two. But he didn’t. They each had their own work to do, but there was plenty of time they could spend together.

*** 

The pair only grew closer as the weeks went by. In the fall, they were out in the apple orchard picking fruit.

“I love your smile,” Gibbs said as Tony took a bite of an apple.

“I love your eyes.”

“Have I told you lately how glad I am that you stopped here and decided to stay?”

“I’ll never tire of hearing it. It’s so funny.”

“What? Us being together?”

“Not exactly. It’s funny that I was never one for commitment before. I would date a girl once or maybe a few times, but as soon as the word ‘girlfriend’ was thrown around, I would dump her and move on to someone else. But you’re different. It’s like in _Jerry Maguire_ , you complete me.”

“Do you know how corny that sounds?”

“Yeah, but it’s true.” Tony turned when a car pulling in the front lot caught his attention. “No. It can’t be.”

Gibbs didn’t miss the concern in Tony’s voice. “What? The Rolls Royce?”

“It’s my dad’s favorite car.”

“Your father?”

“What would he be doing here? I haven’t even talked to him in months.”

“What about your graduation?”

“He didn’t show up.”

“Really?”

Gibbs picked up the basket of apples they had been collecting and followed Tony back to the B&B.

The bell chimed as Gibbs entered the B&B. Across the room, he set the apples down on the counter.

“Thanks, Gibbs,” said Ellie as she inspected the fruit.

“We have a new guest?”

“As I was telling Tony, no one came in here. Maybe they went to the wine tasting room first.”

Tony fidgeted at the check-in counter. “Can you at least tell me if you have a reservation for Anthony DiNozzo Senior?”

Ellie brought the computer up and entered in her security code, then scanned through the screens. “Yeah, we do. I didn’t make the reservation,” she said, clicking her mouse. “Diane took that one. I wonder why she didn’t say anything.”

“Great,” Tony said, throwing his arms in the air. “That’s all I need. My dad hanging around.”

“I have another reservation she made. Jackson Gibbs. Any relation, Gibbs?”

“My dad. What the hell? Where is Diane?”

“I think she’s over at the winery or maybe she’s at the wine tasting room.”

“Let’s go,” Gibbs said, nodding toward the door. “I need to know what she’s up to. Whatever it is, we might as well get it over with.”

Tony followed Gibbs across the main lot. The pair entered the wine tasting room and found Diane, Tobias and Tony’s father sharing a bottle of wine.

Senior smiled at Ziva. “My dear, you are so beautiful you outshine even this spectacular wine.”

“Would you like to try something else, or more of the same,” she asked.

“Surprise me.”

“Dad,” Tony said, staring in disbelief.

“Junior! What a small world it is. I was speaking to Diane on the phone and she mentioned she had a Tony DiNozzo here at the B&B. I said hoped it wasn’t an imposter.”

Diane smiled. “Then I described you and he said I must have Junior here.”

“And I told her she had yet to meet the real Tony DiNozzo.”

“I am real, Dad.”

Senior waved an arm in the air. “Semantics. I’m the original Tony DiNozzo. How’s that?”

“What are you doing here?”

“I was looking for prospects.”

“Prospects?” Tony asked.

Diane cleared her throat. “It was a crazy thing. I was in the beauty shop getting my hair done and Betty Lansing, our most successful Realtor in town, was talking about a man from New York who had reached out to her about property in the area. When she said his name, I thought it was you. Then I remembered you said you were Junior. Remember?”

“Yeah.”

“So I did some checking and found out it was your father. Isn’t that a coincidence?”

“Quite. And you invited him down and didn’t tell me?”

“I thought it would be a nice surprise. Besides, we’re discussing business.”

“This is a prime spot, Junior. It’s not a bad drive from the city, yet it’s far enough out that you’re away from all the big city headaches,” Senior added.

“And you’re going to build condos?”

“It’s going to be a beautiful resort with a lake, a golf course and also some condos. When I found out there was a fabulous winery so close, I knew this was the perfect spot. The golf course will have a clubhouse, obviously. We can offer the wines made here. And this is a great spot for guests of the condo owners to stay. It will be a fantastic investment.”

Gibbs turned to Diane. “Ellie said my dad is also registered. Anything else you want to share.”

“It was just an idea that hit me. Tony’s dad is here, so I thought about your father. We have an empty room for a few days. I thought your dad might enjoy spending some time here.”

Gibbs grabbed Diane’s elbow and escorted her out of the building. “What the hell are you up to?”

“Nothing. I don’t like your tone, Leroy,” she said, arms folded across her chest. “Tony’s dad is looking at a business opportunity and I thought I would do something nice for your father. What’s the big deal?”

“Tony doesn’t exactly have the best relationship with his dad. Neither do I.”

“None of you are getting any younger. Don’t you think it’s time you all made an effort in your relationships, before it’s too late?” Diane punctuated her words with a pointed finger. “If you guys don’t make it right now, you may never get the chance. You know how important family is. You and Tony, you’re both only children. Don’t you think it hurts your fathers that you don’t have a relationship with them? That you don’t stay in touch?” Without waiting for Gibbs to respond, Diane quickly returned to the wine tasting room.

*** 

Hours later, Jackson Gibbs arrived. Diane had made arrangements for Jackson and Senior to join Tony and Ducky for a late dinner. The quartet met in the wine tasting room. Tony quietly sipped his wine while the others chatted jovially.

Abby stopped by the kitchen. “Tim, he’s in the wine tasting room if you want to meet him.”

“Who?” Gibbs asked.

“He hasn’t met Senior, yet,” replied Abby. “He looks so much like Tony.”

“How is Tony doing?”

“He’s been unusually quiet. But Ducky’s there, too. You know he has a gift for telling stories. Another older gentleman just joined them, too.”

“Great,” Gibbs muttered. 

“Who is it?” asked Abby. “You know him, don’t you?”

He didn’t answer, but thought about what Diane had said and led the way to the wine tasting room. Abby and Tim trailed behind him.

“Leroy!” exclaimed the older man, using a cane as he stood up.

Gibbs nodded. “Abby, Tim. This is Jackson Gibbs, my father.”

“It’s good to see you, Son. Diane told me you had some rough times. You know you’re always welcome to come back to Stillwater.”

“So you can tell me what a failure I am?”

“No, of course not. I’m getting older and could use some help around the store. Isn’t it time we mend some of those broken fences?”

“I’m happy here. This is my home, now.”

Jackson nodded. “As long as you’re happy.”

It wasn’t long before Gibbs excused himself and returned to the kitchen with Gibbs. They had several orders come in before Abby handed over a ticket and told them it was for their special guests.

“Gibbs, they’re getting along fine. Nothing to worry about.”

“I’m not worried.” 

A few minutes later, he had the food ready for Abby to deliver. He wondered if Tony was telling everyone about their relationship. Although, if Tony was being as quiet as Abby had reported, he wasn’t saying much of anything.

When Abby checked on the table, they said everything was wonderful. She continued to keep an eye on them as she took care of her other guests.

“This steak is cooked to perfection,” Senior commented. “So tender and flavorful. I don’t remember ever having better. Jackson, your son is certainly an excellent chef.”

“He is that,” Ducky agreed. “Well worth the drive out here a couple times a week.”

Jackson reached for another slice of bread. “I was never sure what he was up to after the Marines. I was surprised when he left the service as young as he did.”

Tony sipped his wine. “He told me about his wife and daughter,” he said softly.

“Broke his heart. He was lost after that. Diane would send me cards for the holidays when she was married to him, but I’d never hear from Leroy. We haven’t kept in touch for years. When the cards stopped coming, I figured they’d gotten divorced.”

“And yet, you decided to drop everything and come visit now?” Tony asked.

“Diane offered me a free week at a resort. All expenses paid. Would you have turned it down?”

“And you didn’t ask why?”

“She said she had an open room, it was a beautiful time of the year and she thought Leroy and I should get reacquainted. She told me she’d never seen my boy happier. I thought I’d come see for myself.”

Senior swirled the last bit of wine around the bottom of his glass. “What about you, Junior? I was really surprised when she told me you were working here.”

“After I graduated, I started driving and one day came down the highway and saw this place. It looked nice. I stayed for a couple weeks and liked it. Then Diane said she had a job opening if I wanted it.”

“Did one of these gorgeous ladies catch your eye?”

“No,” Tony said. “Nothing like that.”

Gibbs joined the table for dessert, setting down plates of torte for himself and Tony while Abby dropped off plates for Ducky, Jackson and Senior.

Ducky took a bite of the torte and declared, “Absolutely scrumptious. I was just telling your father how glad I am that you’re here cooking in our little community. Our lives are far richer, and our bellies far fuller, for your culinary skills.”

“Thanks, Ducky. I will take that as a compliment.”

“As it was intended to be,” Ducky said as he sipped his tea. “It’s quite an idyllic place here, isn’t it? Good people, wonderful food, great wine, beautiful scenery. I remember you had a look in your eye when I first met you. A look that said you were searching for something. I do believe you’ve found it. Good for you, my dear boy.”

“I felt the same way about Tony, when he showed up. He looked like someone who was searching for something.”

“I did?” Tony asked.

“Yeah. But I think you’ve found what you were looking for.”

Senior snorted. “Here? They can’t be paying you much. You’d be making ten times more in the city.”

“Probably twenty times more,” Tony said.

“Then what are you doing here, Junior?”

Tony reached out and took Gibbs’ hand in his. “I found a love that makes life worth living.”

Gibbs nodded in agreement. Talking about feelings never came easily to him, but he was overjoyed to hear Tony’s words. It gave him hope for a happy future together. He’d finally found what his life had been lacking for so long.

 

~the end~  
04/26/2015

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Artwork also posted at Ibrahil's LJ: **[HERE](http://evian-fork.livejournal.com/158053.html)**.


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